Iran-US war latest: UK to send drones and warship to secure Strait of Hormuz as Tehran’s nuclear threats escalate

President Donald Trump mentioned that he doesn’t want Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assist in the war in Iran as he departed the White House for China. However, he mentioned he would converse to the chief at size concerning the battle.

“I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise,” Trump advised reporters on Tuesday.

The leaders of the world’s two largest economies will maintain their first face-to-face talks in additional than six months as they fight to stabilize ties strained by commerce, the US and Israeli war with Iran and different areas of disagreement.

Trump is heading to China amid an unresolved Iran war with diplomatic negotiations to finish it at an deadlock. Beijing maintains ties with Iran and stays a serious client of its oil exports.

The chief of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group known as on the federal government Tuesday to withdraw from direct talks with Israelcalling them a concession and urging “indirect negotiations.”

Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to maintain two days of talks in Washington beginning Thursday in an try to finish the newest preventing that broke out two months in the past, following the Iran war, and focus on the long run of relations between the 2 sides which were at war since Israel was created in 1948.

Hezbollah chief urges oblique talks

Naim Kassem mentioned in a letter directed to the group’s officers that direct negotiations profit Israel and that they’re “concessions by Lebanese authorities.” He mentioned Lebanon’s authorities ought to as an alternative resort to oblique negotiations with Israel, as in earlier years, such as when a ceasefire was reached in November 2024.

Indirect talks are often finished by means of a 3rd celebration.

Saudi Arabia carried out unpublicized retaliatory strikes on Iran in the course of the battle earlier this yr, 4 folks conversant in the matter advised Reuters on Tuesday.

It follows stories that the United Arab Emirates additionally performed assaults on the Islamic Republic.

Tehran might enrich uranium up to 90 per cent purity – a stage thought-about weapons-grade – if the nation is attacked as soon as extra, a high parliamentary official, Ebrahim Rezaei, mentioned on Tuesday.

“One of Iran’s options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament,” I posted on X.

It follows stories in cnn that Donald Trump is contemplating new navy strikes on the nation, as he grows impatient with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and feels a division within the Iranian management is obstructing progress in the direction of a deal.

James C Reynolds stories:

Defense Minister John Healey’s introduced the UK’s dedication to contribute navy assist throughout a digital summit with greater than 40 of his counterparts from different nations concerned within the mission, which he mentioned would turn into operational when situations allowed.

Iran’s deputy international minister mentioned that the presence of French and British warships in the important thing transport route, successfully managed by Tehran in retaliation for US and Israeli assaults, “will be met with a decisive and immediate response.”

It got here after the UK’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) mentioned the Royal Navy was sending the HMS Dragon warship to the Middle East, the place it might be a part of an international mission to safeguard transport within the Strait of Hormuz.

Sir Keir Starmer had initially mentioned the mission, deliberate alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, would solely happen as soon as preventing within the area ends.

The United Kingdom will send drones, jets and a warship to assist a multinational defensive mission to secure transport by means of the Strait of Hormuz.

Defense Minister John Healey mentioned on Tuesday: “With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible.”

Autonomous mine-hunting gear, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS dragon can be contributed to the mission as half of £115m of new funding for the operation.

The UK and European allies had beforehand expressed a reluctance to become involved within the battle.

Britain mentioned on Tuesday it could contribute autonomous mine-hunting gear, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defensive mission geared toward securing transport within the Strait of Hormuz.